Bottles with protective cape or cover



p 24, 1968 P. E. CAMPBELL 3,402,843

BOTTLES WITH PROTECTIVE CAPE 0R COVER Filed July 11, 1966 INVENTOR P.E. CAMPBELL United States Patent ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A cape or cover formed of a material which excludes ultraviolet light is applied on a bottle or similar container having a neck of restricted cross section joined to the upright wall of the bottle by an outwardly flared shoulder section, said bottle being formed of material which transmits ultraviolet light.

This invention relates to bottles, juzgs, containers cartons, etc., having restricted necks or pouring spouts for storing and handling liquids affected by ultraviolet light.

It is conventional practice to store milk in various types of so-called bottles, which term includes jugs, cartons, and containers which have necks or pouring spouts of restricted cross section forming an outwardly flared shoulder which joins the neck or spout to the upright wall of the bottle. It has been found that bottles of this nature which are formed of clear glass or unpigmented polyolefins, such as polyethylene and polypropylene, allow transmission of ultraviolet light from the overhead fluorescent lighting while in display cases in markets and that milk, especially fortified milk, is deleteriously affected by ultraviolet light. It has been found that ultraviolet light imparts an offtaste to milk when exposed for substantial periods of time to such light. Coloring of the bottles to avoid this problem is feasible but it is undesirable to the dairy industry for aesthetic and practical reasons.

This invention provides a solution to the problem of deterioration of milk in bottles or containers which transrnit ultraviolet or other harmful light or radiation light.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a bottle for storage of liquids deleteriously affected by ultraviolet light which prevents the transmission of harmful light rays without affecting the aesthetic and practical values of the bottle or container. Another object is to provide a bottle of clear or translucent material which prevents the transmission of ultraviolet and other light from an overhead light source into the interior of the bottle. Other objects of the invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art upon consideration of the accompanying disclosure.

A broad aspect of the invention comprises a bottle, or similar container for liquid, which has a neck or pouring spout of restricted cross section joined to the upright wall of the bottle by an outwardly flared shoulder section having a cape or cover substantially completely covering or overlying the shoulder section. The cape or cover may loosely cover the shoulder section or it may be fitted tightly thereto. One embodiment of the invention comprises a bottle of the character described having a top closure of the plug, snap, or screw type to which is attached a depending skirt shaped and sized to cover the shoulder to its juncture with the sidewall of the bottle. In bottles or jugs provided with a handle extending across the shoulder thereof, the cape or cover is generally slotted so that the handle extends or protrudes thru the cover for facility in handling.

The cape or cover is preferably formed of aluminum foil (or other soft metal foil), paper, cellulose acetate, saran, polyvinylchloride, or other plastic compounds havwe Patented Sept. 24, 1968 ing the ability to protect the bottle contents from ultraviolet light. Laminates of paper, metal foil, and the other cover materials may also be utilized to form the cape or cover. Metal foil is particularly well suited for cover material because of its appearance, its capacity for being shaped to the shoulder of the bottle, and its light and heat reflecting capacity. A liquid coating material which dries or cures to a non-sticky coating is also within the scope of the invention.

Bottle materials to which the invention is applicable include clear or translucent glass and polyolefins, particularly those comprising essentially polyethylene and polypropylene. However, the invention is applicable to any bottle material which transmits ultraviolet light.

A more complete understanding of the invention may be had by reference to the accompanying schematic drawing of which FIGURE 1 is an elevational view in partial section of a bottle illustrating one embodiment of the invention; FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary view in elevation of another bottle illustrating the invention; FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view of a similar bottle to that of FIGURE 2; and FIGURE 4 is a pictorial view of a cape or cover for a bottle.

Referring to FIGURE 1, bottle 10 comprises upright wall(s) 12 having a generally fiat base 14 as a bottom closure and a neck section or pouring spout 16 which is joined to wall 12 by an outwardly diverging shoulder section 18. A cape or cover 20 extends from the upper end of neck 16 to an area adjacent or on the juncture of shoulder section 18 with wall 12. Cover 20 is a skirt, cape, or coating which protects the neck and shoulder section of the bottle to exclude penetration of ultraviolet light. This cover may be made to closely fit the shoulder and neck sections of the bottle or it may loosely cover the required portion of the bottle.

Bottle 10 is provided with a snap closure 22 which snaps over a bead, rim, or lip 24. It is also feasible to form cape or cover 20 integral with snap cap 22, depending therefrom over the neck and shoulder section of the bottle after the cover is snapped into place. The wall 12 of the bottle may be circular (cylindrical) or in any form having the cross section of a regular polygon or a rectangle.

Referring to FIGURE 2, the neck of bottle 10 terminates in a threaded head section 26 which is closed or capped by a threaded cap 28 to form a seal between the underside of cap 28 and the top of the bottle along line 30. Cape 20 depends from the outer cylindrical periphery of closure 28 and loosely covers the upper end of the bottle down to the upright sidewall 12. Cape 20 may be formed of readily deformable material, such as metal foil, which deforms to the contour of the bottle neck and shoulder section at the time of sealing the bottle with cap 28 or in handling or transport from the dairy to the market display case or thereafter. It is also feasible to form cape or cover 20 to extend over and cover cap 28, this embodiment of the cape being shown in the following figure.

Referring to FIGURE 3, the upper end of neck 16 terminates in a head arranged for a plug or disc cap 32 made of waxed cardboard or other material which forms a seal with the upright wall 34 of the opening in the top of the bottle. Cape 20 extends over plug 32 and covers the upper end of the bottle down to the upright wall 12. This cape may loosely or tightly fit the upper end of the bottle.

Referring to FIGURE 4, cape or cover 20 is provided with an axial opening 36 for passing over the neck or head of the bottle and may be provided with a slot 38 to accommodate the protruding handle of a bottle provided with the same. Cape 20 may be formed of a continuous sheet particularly when opening 36 is smaller than the head of the neck and it is desired to fit opening 36 snugly to the neck of the bottle just below the head thereof. Obviously cape 20 can be made to conform loosely or tightly to the contour of the shoulder and neck of the bottle.

Certain modifications of theinvention will become apparent to those skilled in the art and the illustrative cletails disclosed are not to be construed as imposing unnecessary liniitations on the invention.

"1. A'cape for a bottle having a neck of restricted cross section joined to the upright sidewall of the bottle by a shoulder section, said cape having an axial opening for passing over the neck of the bottle, an outwardly flared section for covering said shoulder section, and a flange section depending from the outer periphery of said outwardly flared section for covering the upper portion of said upright sidewall, said cape being formed of material which excludes ultraviolet light.

2. The cape of claim 1 including a radially extending opening for a handle in said outwardly flared section intermediate said axial opening and said flange section.

opening.

4. The cap violet light.

ca e of claim-i verlappin'g seam along in2evolution' form. having, an the'radial line' of the handle e of claim 1 formed of metal foil in combina- 5 tion with a bottle formed of plastic which transmits ultra- References Cited 4 UNITED STATES PATENTS Chausse 215-38 Rathemacher l.. 215-13 Baker.

Harvey 215-38 Martinelli 215-41 X Rhodes 215-12 X Hailes 215-100 Frank 215-1 Saw 215-43 Bronson 215-1005 Livingstone 215-1 DONALD F. NORTON, Primary Examiner. 

